


Meant To Be

by xPinkSprinkledDonutx



Series: He Loves Me Not [2]
Category: Night at the Museum (Movies)
Genre: Established Relationship, Fluff, Happy Ending, Light Angst, M/M, Night at the Museum 3: Secret of the Tomb Spoilers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-08
Updated: 2020-08-08
Packaged: 2021-03-06 03:27:56
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,148
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25776649
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/xPinkSprinkledDonutx/pseuds/xPinkSprinkledDonutx
Summary: With the tablet left in London, the two say their final goodbyes.Until three years later, when they suddenly wake up once more.
Relationships: Jedediah/Octavius (Night at the Museum)
Series: He Loves Me Not [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1869961
Comments: 6
Kudos: 122





	Meant To Be

**Author's Note:**

> I finally watched the third movie! I had a lot of feelings about it so I made a mini sequel! ^_^

The diorama room was quiet. Larry had given the two a moment of privacy, setting up the ropes for them to climb when they were ready to return home. Jedediah looked up at his fellow miniatures, all frozen and silent. Just like any other museum exhibit. 

It wouldn't be long before he joined them. This time, however, the sunset wouldn't bring him back. None of them would be back. 

In London, the decision to leave the tablet with Ahkmenrah and his parents was easy. But now that he was here, the realization finally began to dawn on him. This was his last rodeo. There was no turning back now.

“I don’ know if I feel sorry for ‘em, or if I’m jealous.” He admitted, looking at the plastic faces of his friends. “What’s worse, Octy? Sleepin’ an' not knowin’ it was your last night, or knowin’ there ain’t nothin’ you can do ‘bout it?”

“There was always the risk of not rising with the sunset before now.” Octavius stood beside him, looking up at his soldiers. “There is certainly something...unsettling, about knowing the truth.” 

“You don’ regret comin’ back without the tablet, do ya?”

Octavius shook his head. “No, I’m glad we were able to reunite Ahkmenrah and his family. However...” He looked over his men once again, disciplined and intimidating. Exactly as the Roman army should be. “I do wish I could have told them how much I appreciated their loyalty and dedication before now...”

"Come here, sweetheart." Jed turned to his companion. "Sunrise ain’t far off, I don’ wanna waste this thinkin’ ‘bout what we should’ve done." He gently pulled the helmet off of Octavius, setting it beside them. Next came the gloves, and he was reaching out to cup his face. Octavius sighed, closing his eyes.

"I'm going to miss this..." He whispered, wrapping his arms around his waist, pulling him closer.

"So am I, darlin'." Jed admitted, thumb softly caressing his cheek. “We’ve had some crazy adventures, huh?”

“Indeed. You lost your arm-”

“I got it back!”

“Nearly suffocated inside of an hourglass-”

"Ugh, that nut job. Don’t remind me.”

“And, well...Pompeii.” Opening his eyes, Octavius smiled. “Trouble just seems to follow us everywhere, doesn’t it?”

“I like it that way. Makes life interestin’.”

Jed moved to run his fingers through, soft, curly hair. He thought of all the nights they sat on the hood of their car, hands intertwined, watching the stars outside the windows. How many nights he had surprised Octavius with another flower, or how every so often he’d return to his tent and find a new letter tied up with a neat little bow waiting for him. 

He didn’t want to think of what would happen to those letters now, tucked away beneath his cot, doomed to gather dust without Jed there to reread them. Or the flowers sitting on Octy’s desk, kept fresh and alive with magic, wilting without its presence.

"Jedediah..." Octavius hesitated, lowering his eyes. "There’s something I want to say, before our last sunrise." Taking a deep breath, his gaze met his once more, misty. 

"You are without a doubt the best thing that has _ever_ happened to me. I will forever be grateful for the times we've shared, and I hope that somewhere, in some other life, the two of us may continue to be together."

"Ya think that'd happen?" Jed asked, swallowing past the lump forming in his throat. 

"I _know_ it will. It _must_." Octavius placed a hand on Jeds heart.

"We're meant to be, _carissime_. Magic or no magic, nothing can possibly keep us apart." 

"Damnit, Octy..." Pulling him in for a tight hug, Jed buried his face in the crook of his neck. "After all these years, how do ya still find new ways to get me all choked up? It ain't fair."

Octavius rubbed his back. "It wouldn't be a proper goodbye without making you blush at least once, now would it?" He teased, voice thick as he held onto his cowboy. Jed let out a chuckle.

"I ain't blushin, ya liar."

"Of course, your flushed cheeks are merely a trick of the light. My mistake.”

Jed pulled back, grinning.

"I'm glad I met ya, Octavius."

"As am I, Jedediah."

The kiss lingered, soft and sweet. 

"It's nearly sunrise, my love." Octavius said, pulling back. They begrudgingly released one another, holding hands once the helmet and gloves were back in place. 

Walking to the exhibits, Jedediah gave one final squeeze. 

"Good mornin', darlin'." 

" _Bonum mane, carissime_."

They let go.

\---

Jedediah blinked.

For a moment he couldn’t move, eyes wide.

_‘What...?’_

Looking around, he saw the other figures begin to stretch, ready to start the night. He rubbed his eyes, but nothing changed. He looked down at himself, poking his chest. Flesh and bone. He was alive.

Alive. 

_Alive._

"Octy!" He ran to the edge, propelling himself down the rope as fast as he could.

His feet had barely hit the ground when he saw a flash of red in the corner of his eye.

"Jedediah!" 

"Octavius!" 

The two ran towards one another, Jedediah slamming into him hard enough to send them both tumbling to the floor, his hat flying off his head. If the fall hurt, Octavius just ignored it. He wrapped his arms tight around Jed, holding onto him as if he would slip away.

"How is this-"

"I dunno, but I ain't complainin'!"

"You're crushing me, love-"

"Gimme a sec-"

They sat up, Jedediah sitting in his lap. He ran his hands over his armor, shoulders, it was all real. They were _back._

"Gods, I can't explain how but I swear your eyes look even more beautiful than ever."

"And I swear you’re even more of a sap." 

"Oh hush, you love it." Octavius held his face in his hands, pressing kisses everywhere he could reach. Nose, cheeks, jaw, not an inch was left untouched. Giddy, Jed couldn't help but start to laugh, feeling his cheeks burn.

"Hey now, people are lookin’." 

"Let them." Octavius stopped, returning to meet his gaze. His eyes were soft and warm, looking at Jed like he personally hung the moon and stars above.

"I love you so much, Jedediah. I don't know how long we have, but I want to say it as many times as I can."

"I love ya, too, Octy. I'll say it so much you’ll be sick of hearin’ it." 

"Impossible."

The kiss wasn't as soft as last time, their elation tuning out the teasing whistles and calls from the dioramas above them. 

Music began to play from the lobby, finally pulling them apart.

"Looks like we got a party startin', partner." Jed reached out, plucking his hat off the ground and back on his head.

"We better get a move on before they have all the fun without us."

"Indeed. There’s much to celebrate tonight."


End file.
